


Our Christmas Miracle

by hips_of_steel



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: FACES family, Human AU, M/M, Pregnancy, Trans America, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 05:15:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9057118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hips_of_steel/pseuds/hips_of_steel
Summary: 'Tis Christmas, the season of joy in the household of one Kyle Baines and Alfred Bonnefoy-Kirkland. As the joyous day draws nearer, Alfred learns that sometimes, the greatest Christmas miracles come in rather unexpected ways.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So, I have some name clarifications for everyone so you can check this list if you're like "Who is that?" or "I feel like I should know who that is..."
> 
> Kyle's family  
> Mother-Scarlet (McRae) Baines: Fem Scotland  
> Father-Owen Baines: Wales  
> Sibling-Oscar Baines: Hutt River  
> Sibling-Zoe Baines: Wy  
> Cousin-Avery Jacobsen-Baines: New Zealand  
> Aunt-Elaine Baines: Fem Wales
> 
> Odeta Laurintinus: Fem Lithuania
> 
> If you think any names need to be added, comment at the bottom and I will add them.

It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving. A normal Saturday, really, besides the winter chill that had crept into the entire house, saturating almost every room with a brisk reminder of the time of year. The season of harvests had officially come to a close. Now it was the season of rest.

Even the couple who owned the house was resting currently, snuggled up in each other's arms. Two men, one a well tanned brunette with thick eyebrows and green eyes just opening in the early morning light, and the other a blond man with lighter skin, wearily opening his light blue eyes.

The brunette smiles, pressing a kiss to the blond's forehead. "Good morning, Alfred."

The blond tries to smile, but ends up grimacing instead. "I'd respond with the same, but I think my stomach's about to launch a revolution."

He swiftly sits up, throwing his feet out from under the covers and heading for the master bathroom. The brunette sighs when only thirty seconds later he hears his partner retching.

_Still not feeling well. Must have gotten food poisoning at Thanksgiving. Always possible with Arthur's cooking._

He stood up with a stretch, and after grabbing a pair of boxer shorts, stumbled towards the bathroom, stopping to pick up Alfred's glasses on the way.

Leaning in, he sighed. "Same as yesterday?"

The blond looked up from his kneeling position over the porcelain throne. "Yeah. Same as yesterday."

His voice wobbles a little and the brunette sighs. "Want me to bring you a set of lazy day clothes?"

A nod, and then a faint reply.

"Yeah. Thanks, Kyle."

Kyle nods, and heads over towards Alfred's dresser. He pulls out a long t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

He shouts back towards the bathroom. "You want your binder today?"

"No." Comes the response.

Kyle nods, setting the clothes down outside the door. Alfred started to say thank you, but then his stomach rebelled once again.

***

A few hours later, the couple was laying on the couch. Kyle had pulled on a shirt and turned on the heat, so the chill had all but disappeared from the house. Alfred was wrapped in a blanket, half sprawled across Kyle's lap. Netflix was streaming on the TV, but neither was paying close attention to the nature documentary they had put on.

"Feeling any better, Al?"

Alfred mumbled something in the affirmative under his breath, and then paused. "You know what I just realized?"

"What?"

"We met fourteen years ago some time next week. Your family moved here after Thanksgiving."

Kyle snorted a little. "Oh, yeah, from winter in the Southern Hemisphere to winter in the Northern Hemisphere. That wasn't a fun trip."

Alfred laughed. "God, that was after I first came out. I must have been a fucking mess. Skinny little trans sophomore, and you...the new Australian senior, hot stuff for every girl in the school."

"I was not hot stuff."

"Oh, you were! Don't you even try to deny it, Kyle Baines! Tan, well muscled, all-star of the swim team and the rugby captain?! Rippling muscles and that Australian accent?! You were hot stuff! You were THE hot stuff!"

Kyle snorted with laughter, and Alfred giggled. "God, I'm glad you didn't really meet me until college. That would've been awkward."

"Got to meet you when you were developing your own rippling muscles instead."

"My muscles never rippled. You're the built one out of the two of us." Alfred said. "But I was so glad when you remembered me by my real name."

Kyle leaned back, closing his eyes and remembering their run in at the college campus like it was yesterday.

_Kyle was sitting at the Community Center, tapping his hand to the beat while he waited for his next class to start._

_A kid came up and tapped him on the shoulder. He pulled out his headphones, raising an eyebrow. "Huh?"_

_"Sorry to interrupt. Are you Kyle Baines?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Sorry. Just curious."_

_As he walked away, Kyle suddenly realized who this must be._

_"Hey, you're Alfred Bonnefoy-Kirkland!"_

_The kid turned in surprise. Kyle stood up and came over._

_"Nice to see ya again, Alfred. You were tiny when I graduated! Now I bet you could give me a real challenge in the swimming pool if you're a swimmer!"_

_Alfred snorted. "I'm not. I'd only beat you at competitive drowning."_

_Kyle grinned. "So, you a freshman or sophomore at this fine establishment?"_

_"I'm a sophomore."_

"We chatted that whole afternoon."

"And you called me Alfred the whole time. I always wondered if you'd just forgotten I was trans."

"To be fair, Avery and I were living together at that point, and they're non-binary, so I understood gender issues."

"Yeah, but how was I to explain my crush on you? I didn't know you were bi, and there's not a lot of gay men with my body."

Kyle laughed at that. "Oh, I'd suspect there are more than you think."

They allowed the room to fall into silence.

Then Kyle spoke.

"If you'd told me fourteen years ago if I would end up so utterly in love with a kid I met after being forced to move away from home, I would've told you that you were batshit crazy."

Alfred smiled, snuggling up closer. They watched Netflix for a while longer, and then Kyle stood.

"I'm going to go make you some lunch. Sandwich sound good?"

"Soup sounds better." Alfred mumbled, setting his head down on the warm spot left on the seat. He tried to stay awake, but soon enough he had dozed off, too tired to move.

Kyle came back and gazed at his sleeping lover with a smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm glad I've got you."

And then he woke up Alfred and got him to eat the soup.

***

Sunday afternoon, they went to "the barbershop", AKA Alfred's family home.

Francis chuckled as he cut their hair, chatting with the pair. "So, you foolishly volunteered for the task of hosting Christmas Eve for the family..."

Kyle, who was currently having his hair cut, laughed. "More like I was volun-told that we were doing it."

Alfred was lazily flipping through the pages of a book. "You didn't object when I suggested it. Besides, no one else has a house big enough to hold your family and my family."

Arthur sat across from Alfred, nose in a newspaper. "How many are there going to be?"

Alfred paused, counting. "Kyle, me, Matthew, Ivan, Michelle, you, papa, Owen, Scarlet, Oscar, Zoe-"

"And Avery, bringing the total to twelve." Kyle finished. "Basically, we've got an apocalypse descending on our pantry."

Francis laughed as he finished with Kyle. "Alright, you're done. Get over here, Alfred."

Alfred leapt up onto the stool, and closed his eyes, remembering a few days before he started his sophomore year of high school.

_Francis held the scissors close. "Are you sure, Alfred? It may be easier to continue being a girl until you graduate?"_

_Alfred sighed. He had given his fathers a whole summer to learn about being trans and accept him as their son rather than their daughter, but he could tell they were still hesitant and confused. "I want it cut short like dad's, except you can leave my cowlick."_

_"It will be even shorter than Matthew's if we cut it that short-"_

_"Matthew likes having ponytails and buns like you, papa. I don't. Please. We bought boy's clothes so I could do this. Please just cut my hair."_

_There was a sigh. "Alright, mon fils."_

_As the curled locks fell away, Alfred smiled, and when dad, Matthew and Michelle came home that evening, he ran up in his most masculine outfit._

_"Look! I look like an Alfred!"_

Alfred opened his eyes when he heard Kyle say his name. "Huh?"

Kyle snorted. "I said 'Do you want to delegate out who makes what so we can save money on food?'"

"Yeah, but let's delegate later. We still have to go shopping today."

Arthur glanced up, but Kyle answered his question before it was asked. "Yeah. It's nice to have food on a regular basis."

Francis chuckled. "Ah. When you were little, Alfred, you were convinced that Sunday after Thanksgiving was the first day the Advent calendars should be opened."

Arthur grinned as he set down the paper, fondly remembering those days. "Had to hang them up high enough you and Matthew couldn't break into them. And then when Michelle came along, you tried to lift her up to get the candy for you."

Kyle was trying to avoid bursting into laughter. "Let me guess. They were found out after they all fell over?"

"Nearly broke Francis's coffee table." Arthur said with a nod, and Kyle did laugh this time.

"Thanks, papa." Alfred said with a scowl, but it was only half hearted. Francis laughed.

"You're welcome."

***

After they had got the groceries put away, they hopped into the shower. Despite the barber apron, a few pieces of hair always managed to find their way into the shirts.

Personally, days like this were the best for Kyle. It reminded him of the many awesome reasons to have a trans boyfriend.

Especially when you were a bisexual with a weakness for boobs.

Kyle waited until Alfred had lathered up his hair to wrap his arms around from behind, setting his chin on Alfred's shoulder and humming in contentment as he massaged the small breasts. Alfred's voice conveyed the eye roll. "Really, Kyle?"

Kyle kissed the side of Alfred's face. "They're just so small and perfectly squishy."

Alfred's response was the usual. "You're an idiot. You can have them if you want, I'm willing to donate them to a good cause. Now move unless you want soap in your eyes."

Kyle took the warning seriously, stepping to the side and lathering up the washcloth he used to wash the rest of his body. There was relative silence in the shower for a few seconds as Alfred rinsed his hair and Kyle started to wash everything below his shoulders.

"Hey... do you want to do an Advent calendar?"

Kyle glanced up. "Huh?"

"We always did Advent calendars when I was a kid. I thought maybe we could do them for each other as a couple. I could probably borrow the old ones from dad and papa, since I doubt Matthew and Michelle will use theirs this year."

Kyle paused, thinking for a moment. "So we fill them with candy or gifts to each other or what?"

"I was thinking candy. Like from the little bags you can buy at Halloween? Just a piece each day."

"Then I'm willing to do it." Kyle said. He finished washing off the last bits of soap and stepped out of the shower, grabbing the first towel he saw and starting to dry off.

About a minute later, as Kyle had gotten most of the water out of his hair and off of his body, Alfred turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. He glanced at the towel rack, and swiftly turned, crossing his arms over his chest. "You grabbed my damn towel again."

Kyle glanced down and realized that he had indeed grabbed Alfred's towel, and then glanced up with a big smile, clearly asking for forgiveness. Alfred rolled his eyes and grabbed the other towel. "Your towels always stink, jackass."

"You know you love me!" Kyle said, and promptly dashed from the room before Alfred could throw anything at him.

***

The next night, after Alfred had once again spent a fair amount of the night between dinner and bedtime in the bathroom over the porcelain throne, Kyle sighed from the other side of the door. "You've probably got the flu."

"I was vaccinated this year. And if I have it, how the hell have you not gotten it?"

Kyle shrugged. "Dunno. Helps that I'm in an office or outside rather than wiping down tables and washing plates."

"Means you should have a weaker immune system because you're... you're exposed to less-" Alfred didn't finish the sentence before retching once more, and Kyle sighed.

"Hey, can I at least come in and brush my teeth?"

"Sure."

Kyle stepped inside and sighed, stopping and briefly rubbing Alfred's back. "Are you sure you don't want me to call the doctor and schedule an appointment for you?"

"No."

"Alright. If you're still sick on Wednesday night, though, I'm making you go."

"Fair enough." Alfred said.

Kyle started brushing his teeth, and once he was done, he sat next to Alfred, who was currently leaning against the wall, clearly exhausted. "I see you got the Advent calendars from your parents. They're beautiful."

"Yeah. Papa painted them. The Great Plains for me, big northern forest for Matthew, sea life in a reef for Michelle. Did you choose one?"

"The sea life. Guess I miss the Great Barrier Reef."

Alfred laughed a little. "Yeah. That was a nice trip."

Two years ago, Kyle had dragged Alfred to Australia in order to show him the various places he had lived in his childhood. They had swum in the famous reef, and Alfred had never seen Kyle geek out quite so hard over a piece of nature as he did over the reef.

"So where are we going to hang them up?" Kyle asked.

"I was thinking one on either side of the fireplace." Alfred said.

Kyle nodded. "That sounds good. I'll hang them up tomorrow night."

Alfred smiled. "Thanks."

Kyle leaned over and placed a kiss on Alfred's forehead. "I'm the luckiest guy on the planet, you know..."

Alfred chuckled. "Yeah. And don't you forget it!"

***

The next day, Alfred got off work earlier than usual. The diner didn't close until eight, but Sofia, the girlfriend of the owner and also Alfred's sister in law through Matthew and Ivan's marriage, came in and smiled.

"I'll tell Sadik that some emergency came up. Go home and have a nice night." She said with a wink before waltzing into the kitchen to wash up and start working at the tables.

Alfred took the opportunity to take off and rush to the grocery store. He usually worked morning shifts at the diner, and had only taken the night shifts to cover his absences the past few days. It would be nice to surprise Kyle with dinner, and he could buy the Australian's favorite candy mix to fill up his Advent calendar.

He grabbed a cart upon reaching the grocery store and zipped over to the candy aisle. He felt like a little kid again as he zipped through the aisles.

Until a sudden wave of nausea hit him, and he about doubled over at the feeling. He heard soft footsteps behind him.

"Young man, are you okay?

"Sorry. Just started feeling really sick." Alfred mumbled.

She knelt down next to him, and Alfred realized this woman was probably only four or five years older than him. She offered him a mint. "Maybe this will help?"

Al nodded his thanks and took the mint, slowly sucking on the candy until he could stand back up. The woman smiled and handed him a few more mints. When he tried to refuse, she shook her head. "No, it's alright. I've taken to carrying them around lately to help combat my morning sickness, so I have plenty."

Alfred smiled when he realized what she'd just said. "Congratulations!"

She smiled. "Take care of yourself." She moved away, and Alfred continued down the store aisle, albeit at a slower pace than earlier.

He spotted the candy mix he wanted and grabbed himself a bag of mints. He quickly went and fetched what he needed for the dinner he would make Kyle tonight. As he was waiting in the checkout line for the person in front of him to finish their order, he stopped in shock.

_Morning sickness._

Alfred was not in transition. He had decided never to undergo the sex change operation. Knives near any part of his body were a big no unless it was a real emergency, and even less so in areas of his body that were so sensitive. He refused to go on hormones, because he had a small enough bust and waist that he could pass for male with a short haircut and a chest binder.

_Is it possible?_

But he was on the shot as a form of birth control, and he wasn't due for another one until two weeks from now. And besides, he reasoned, he and Kyle, despite having been a monogamous couple for close to six years, still used condoms.

He shook his head as he stepped forward and paid for the groceries. It was just a stomach bug or the flu, like Kyle had said. It would be better not to overthink it. Popping another mint into his mouth, he took his groceries and left.

***

"Okay, with all the extended family, and we said we would provide turkey, we have twelve for Christmas." Kyle commented as he sat and wrote out notes on a piece of paper.

"Okay, then given the eating habits of us young men in the family, we're going to want a twenty pound bird. Also we'll have lots of leftovers." Alfred said, leaning over and seeing the doodles Kyle had drawn all over the paper. He smiled, sorting through the few groceries Kyle had picked up on his way home. "You got me strawberry jam! Thank you!"

"You just like hosting so we can steal food." Kyle commented, writing out names in a list.

"Yes, exactly. A few rolls here, some pie there, few pieces of ham, and boom! Neither of us has to cook for a week!"

Kyle snorted. Alfred chuckled. "You know you love me."

"Yeah, enough to let you bring Ivan into the house."

"Matthew says he'll be on his best behavior!"

Kyle turned with a bemused expression. "But will you?"

Alfred pauses before responding. "Think I'll use my fifth amendment rights here."

Kyle shakes his head with a laugh, writing "Ham" down next to Matthew and Ivan. Alfred leans over. "Matt will bring pie too. I really think he missed his calling as a baker."

"If he thinks being a pediatrician is better than baking, more power to him." Kyle said, making the additional note. "Besides, it'll come in handy when he and Ivan finally adopt a few kids."

As they stood there, Alfred suddenly straightened up. "Hey, today is December 1st! The first day for the Advent calendars to be opened!"

Kyle chuckles, standing, and they both go to their calendars. Kyle watched Alfred happily open his, and then grin. "Fuck yeah! Snickers!"

Rolling his eyes, Kyle opened up his and popped the candy into his mouth, smiling.

***

Alfred was glad when whatever bug he had began to subside. Kyle had been about to send him to the doctor without a choice, but the mints had been helpful enough that soon, Alfred just felt a little sick in the morning, and that was solved by having breakfast. He also noted he'd been craving a lot more milk lately, but shrugged that off. Christmas was coming, and there were more cookies, therefore he wanted more milk.

It made sense.

Sorta.

He filled out his wish list and "slipped" it into the book Kyle read during his lunch hour as a bookmark. The next day, he found a similar list in his book and laughed.

The steady beat of days continued on, and on the ninth of December, a Monday, Alfred got a phone call from his doctor, reminding him about another appointment.

As they tried to get ready the next morning with the chaos in the house that happened after an alarm went off late, Alfred shouted.

"Oi, Ky! I have an appointment Thursday afternoon. Getting another dose of the shot! You think you can fend for yourself for dinner?!" He said, yanking down his bag. Kyle was trying to get his boots on and head to his work.

"Despite what you seem to think, I did feed myself before you moved in! I'll be fine!"

Alfred gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Well, then I'll see you tonight!"

He ran out the door, jumping into his old Subaru. "Alright, let's get over to the diner."

***

Alfred had to admit, he liked this little diner. He'd worked here before Sadik Adnan had run the place, during his teen years. The old owner had been a dick. He didn't pay well, and he tried to force Alfred to dress as a woman and go by Amelia. Only the silent threat of a lawsuit by Arthur had made the man let Alfred be Alfred.

While the pay here was still shit compared to Kyle's job at a conservation district, Sadik didn't care about Alfred's outward appearance as long as he was "presentable and modest" (and yes, those were the exact words written in the employee handbook). Alfred had been working here since he finished college and moved back in with his parents. When Kyle bought the house they lived in, it actually put Alfred about three minutes closer to the place, so he stayed.

It was a slow morning. Sofia was working on her computer, and Sadik was complaining to her about some horrible coffee he'd had over the weekend. Alfred had learned swiftly in Sadik's employ that Turkish coffee was a gift to mankind, and that this was fact and should never be questioned. When the bell rang, they looked up and saw a young woman with bright blue streaks in her dark hair.

"Hey Shelly!" Alfred called as his sister came over and sat down at the counter. "I wasn't expecting to see you today!"

"Yeah. Roommate had some company I didn't want to associate with. Sadik, do you still know my order?" She called out as the Turk moved towards the kitchen.

"Doubt I could ever forget it since it's also Sofia's order."

Sofia stuck out her tongue. "Yeah, you'd better not."

Michelle Bonnefoy-Kirkland was the youngest of the three Bonnefoy-Kirkland children, and unlike her older brothers and her fathers, she was mixed race. It shone through her dark skin and hair, and Alfred always figured she'd felt a little out of place in their family, but she was a beautiful young woman.

_And besides, for part her life, she wasn't the only girl in the house._

"So how's school doing?" He asked. She was attending the same college they all had, only about a twenty minute drive away, but living mostly on campus.

"Pretty good! I got an internship at a print shop, and I got the Disney scholarship for the Arts! I'll be headed to Florida in May!"

"No way! Congratulations, Shelly! Have you told dad and papa yet?"

"Called them on the phone last night."

"What about Matt?"

"Seeing him this afternoon. Figured I'd tell him then."

Alfred heard the door to the kitchen open and took the hot plate from Sadik, setting it in front of his sister, and then grabbing a rag, wiping down the counters as she ate.

He thought back to a day when he was fourteen and had sworn his siblings to silence.

_"Matt, Shelly, you have to swear you won't tell anyone." He said. They were sitting in a blanket fort, conferring secrets._

_Matthew nodded solemnly, but Alfred glanced at five year old Michelle. "Hey, Shelly!"_

_She looked up and nodded. "Cross my heart! I won't tell, Amelia."_

_"Good. My secret is... I don't like my name..."_

_They glanced up. He continued. "I like the name Alfred."_

_"Alfred is a boy's name." Matthew said._

_"Yeah. I wish I was a boy."_

_"Should I call you Alfred then?" Michelle asked._

_"No! Dad and papa would freak out!" Alfred said. "Just keep calling me Amy or Amelia."_

_It was two days later Matthew came home with a few printed pages. "Amy, I think you should read these."_

_That was how Alfred realized there was a name for what he was._

_Transgender._

With the counters completely washed off, he took Michelle's dishes into the kitchen. It had been awkward when he came out a few months later. Arthur had almost looked hurt when Alfred said he didn't want to be called Amelia anymore, but he knew he had been accepted when he received his seventeenth birthday present.

That was the day they changed his named from Amelia Frédérique Bonnefoy-Kirkland to Alfred Franklin Bonnefoy-Kirkland. He had hugged both his fathers and cried that day. With his changed name, he rarely got weird looks anymore unless someone really examined his driver's license.

A couple arrived and he went to take their order. When he returned after taking them their drinks, Michelle spoke.

"So how are you and Kyle doing?"

"Great. Rumor is he's going to get a promotion soon. Either that or a pay raise. Someone's leaving and he's taking over their duties. Keeping my fingers crossed."

She nodded with a smile. "You guys make such a nice couple."

Alfred smiled. "Yeah. His parents think about the same. They keep asking Kyle when he's finally gonna man up and ask me to marry him."

Michelle laughed. "I expect that's his mom more than his dad. Owen is the most laid back man I've ever met."

Alfred nodded. Kyle's parents were nice, but it was obvious his mom, a Scottish woman, was used to being the boss of the house, whereas his Welsh dad was perfectly happy to let her run everything in the house. "Yeah. Scarlet about drives me up a wall sometimes, but what should I expect from a woman who raised Kyle?"

Michelle laughed. Alfred took the order out to the couple and then came back. Michelle glanced at him quietly. "So are you going to do it?"

"Huh?"

"Get married? It's been six years now. You're twenty nine, he's thirty one."

Alfred shook his head. "Marriage ain't in my future ever, sis. Now, a domestic partnership on the other hand, is. I just don't like the term married, and neither does he. Partners seems... more equal. And it basically gives us all the same legal rights as marriage."

"Also then you don't have to decide who the wife is on the forms."

"Exactly, although he would be the wife. Just saying."

Michelle laughed. "God, remember the fight Ivan and Matt had over Matthew wanting to take Ivan's last name because it was shorter than Bonnefoy-Kirkland!"

"I think dad was about to kick them out into the snow until they came to an agreement!" Alfred said with a laugh. "Either that or tell Ivan to shove it up his-" Alfred cut himself off, but Michelle laughed anyhow.

"God, when I get married... papa's gonna have a field day." She said after a few moments. "Especially since he'll have two brides to fret over."

"I hope you want a big fluffy dress, Shell, because I'm guessing that's what you're going to end up with."

"Oh god, I hope he doesn't try to get away with that."

Alfred could have talked all day, but the lunch crowd began to creep in, and soon he was fully occupied with his job. He waved goodbye to Michelle and sighed.

It was nice to just talk to his siblings sometimes.

***

Wednesday afternoon, Alfred came home to find part of Kyle's family had stopped by.

Avery tried to look apologetic. "You know my aunt..."

Alfred sighed. "Well, I was planning on making dinner, so I'll go buy more food."

Avery sighed. "Can I come with?"

Alfred nodded. Avery was Kyle's cousin. Owen had had a sister named Elaine, who when she died in a car crash, sent her only child to live with them. Only a year younger than Kyle, the New Zealander often found themselves in the awkward position of playing peacekeeper in the ever squabbling family, a position Alfred did not envy.

"They just drop by or is your aunt fighting with Kyle again?"

"Just dropped by and brought me along. I think she actually wants advice on Oscar."

"What? Scarlet wants advice?" Alfred said, noting the unusual behavior on the Scotswoman's part.

"Apparently there were some... ruffled feathers... and Uncle Owen about told her off for it. It's weird, seeing him mad. I think he was sulking in the kitchen when we left."

"The fighting Baines clan." Alfred said, knowing everyone on their street had nicknamed their house 'the noisy house' for a reason.

"Better to have it out in the open than stab each other behind the back with it." Avery said, holding the basket as they shopped. "I'll pay for this. I owe you one."

When they got back, Scarlet was on the porch. She stood up and waved. "Hello, lads!"

Alfred smiled. "Hey, Scarlet. Had to go get more food. You're welcome to stay for dinner."

"Thank you. Alfred, I was hoping we could talk. Maybe while you're cooking?"

Alfred nodded. "Sure."

Avery came in behind them, and Alfred spotted Owen and Kyle on the couch, quietly talking. Alfred found it funny. When Kyle was alone with his mother, they were always trying to be louder than the other, but left alone with his dad, Kyle was almost mellow.

Almost being the key word.

Avery sat down in a chair in the living room, and Alfred got into the kitchen, pulling out pans. "What do you want to talk about, Scarlet?"

"How is everything? Between you two?"

"It's fine. Thinking about the future, all that jazz."

Scarlet smiled. She was a tall woman, taller than Alfred. "Yeah. Kyle said something like that."

There was a long pause.

"Oscar thinks they're trans." She finally said. "And I... well, I... didn't phrase my response very well."

"Inserted your foot into your mouth and twisted it around?"

"Something like that. Anyhow, devolved into a big fight, Zoe and Owen both about tore me a new one for it, and now Kyle has as well."

"So you're here to?"

The Scotswoman responded. "Wallow in self-misery? I just... Avery is hard enough, remembering to use they/them... trans is a whole new level, especially for a child you've raised. I only ever knew you as Alfred, so that was easier I guess."

Alfred sighed. "Well, my advice is sit down and talk to Oscar about this, and do your best to listen. You've managed to raise all the other kids in their various forms. My dads got two gay sons and a lesbian, you have two bisexuals and two genderqueer kids. Just listen and try to give Oscar whatever they need right now."

Scarlet nodded, and Alfred, finishing up, set a timer. "Alright, I'm gonna go talk to your oldest kid and tell him if he didn't take out the trash I'm gonna kick his butt."

Scarlet laughed, and Alfred looked into the living room. "Kyle, did you take out the trash today?"

Kyle glanced up and swore, running down the hall. Avery busted out laughing as Kyle shouted various apologies, getting the trash out to the curb and grinning in an apologetic manner. "Now it is."

Alfred rolled his eyes. "Stupid Aussie."

Avery nodded. "He's right about that!"

"Oi, kiwi, keep your nose out of this!" Kyle half shouted, but soon the bantering rose, and all the members of the Baines clan present, even Owen, were soon laughing and shouting across the table as they ate their dinner.

Alfred laughed a little. This was the chaos he had become part of, and boy did he love it.

***

The next night Alfred sat in the doctor's office, waiting for his results to come back. Since he was sexually active, they checked him for pregnancy every time he came in to get one of the damn shots. He wished he could just buy a test from the store and check at home, but that would be too easy...

He stretched out his feet. This was taking longer than usual, and he was tired after his day at the diner. A melody rose from his phone, somehow making it past the cell blocking barriers. He lifted it up and checked.

**Message from Kyle**

**_Hey babe. On your way home yet?_ **

Alfred snorted as he typed out his reply.

**_Ha ha ha, you funny man. I told you you were on your own for dinner tonight. Things are pretty slow here. Probably another hour or so._ **

Within seconds he got a reply.

**_Ok. Love you._ **

Alfred chuckled.

**_Love you too, you crazy Aussie._ **

He exited the texting app and was starting a game when the nurse came back in. "Sorry, Alfred, I have a few questions before we continue."

Alfred looked up. This was odd. "Yeah?"

"Have you and your partner been having unprotected sex?"

Alfred blinked. "No. Why?"

"The results of the test say you're pregnant."

Time had frozen. Alfred felt terror rise up inside of him.

The nurse continued. "We'd like to do an ultrasound to confirm, but the next opening is on Tuesday. If it comes back negative, we can give you the shot then, but we can't give it to you today."

Alfred felt like a fish out of water. "Um..."

The nurse offered him a few times to make an appointment, and he finally choose one. She asked if he wanted any family planning materials, but he shook his head.

"Not yet. I just... I'm going to head home."

"Wait, before you go, take these samples of pre-natal vitamins. They won't do any harm if there isn't anything there, but they'll do so much good if there is."

Alfred numbly took them and then wandered out to his car. He got in and locked the doors, confused.

He and Kyle had discussed having a family before, but it had always been their plan to adopt. After all, Alfred was _Alfred_. He hadn't ever been planning on being pregnant. And Kyle had admitted he was scared if he had a kid that they would end up with the same horrific ADHD he had.

Alfred groaned as he leaned down over the steering wheel, frustrated that it would be another five days before he knew.

God, if he was...

What would he do?

He didn't have an answer, and finally he turned the car on and pulled out of the parking garage.

He needed to get home and clear his head.

He stopped briefly at a store and picked up four separate pregnancy tests, one for each day before the ultrasound. The clerk looked at him a little weird, but he figured if it was a spoken taboo for a man to buy a tampon, there was probably an unspoken one about pregnancy tests that he didn't know. Alfred was sometimes glad that he was usually assumed to be the brave husband buying supplies for his wife. A few female clerks had even commended him on his straight face as he slapped down a pack of gum next to a box of tampons or pads.

He wasn't willing to tell them he'd been standing in line for his own pads since he was twelve and realized there was no way either of his dads could buy him the products he needed without making some kind of scene (Arthur, at least, would have just blushed. Alfred was glad he never had to have any idea what Francis might have said or done).

He hid the bag in the car. He would wait until Kyle was gone to work to test this.

Finally, he got to his house. He took a deep breath and walked in.

***

Kyle was stretched out on the couch when Alfred came in. He glanced up with a smile. "Hey babe. Everything good?"

"Yeah. Hey, can we go spoon for a while?"

Kyle nodded, standing up and stretching. "Tough day at the diner?"

"No. Just wanna spoon."

Another nod, and they quickly headed into the bedroom. Kyle lay down after putting on a sleep shirt, and Alfred, after doing the same, quickly took on the role of the little spoon.

With his hands and arms wrapped around Alfred, Kyle tucked his chin over Alfred's shoulder. "I missed you at dinner tonight. I had to cook my own steak. It was very hard."

"I find that very hard to believe, master of the barbecue and man who always supervises the cooking of meat." Alfred said with a snort. "Just tell me you had something other than steak and potatoes for dinner."

"Water."

Alfred shook his head, and Kyle laughed. "I had a big salad and some fruit too. I was good."

A chuckle rose from Alfred, and they settled back into silence for a while. Then Alfred sighed, and spoke softly.

"They asked me about some family planning stuff today at the appointment. I guess that's got me stressing out a bit."  
Kyle nodded and felt Alfred take a deep breath.

"Ky... I know we always talked about adoption, but what if something happened and I ended up pregnant?"

There was a long pause as Kyle thought this over, and he could feel Alfred growing tenser beneath him the longer he thought, but he didn't have an answer for him right away. Finally he said the first thing that came to his mind, which was usually a bad idea, but seemed right in these circumstances.

"Something happen to make you bring this up?"

"Well, they kinda asked if I was planning to go off it and have a family in the near future."

Kyle didn't respond at first. He felt Alfred start to grow tense again, clearly anxious about this whole affair. He finally found the words he needed. "If that happened... what would you want to do, Alfred? It's your body that has to carry the baby. I don't think I really get to make the call here."

"But it would be your baby too..."

"It would be my baby if you gave birth to it or if we went out and adopted it. I'd even call them my baby if they were seven years old when we adopted them."

"But what about the health problems? The ADHD?"

"We'll have them screened. I would have any of my kids screened, adopted or not."

Alfred didn't seem to be relaxing, and Kyle sighed. "Alfred, do you want to start a family now? I mean, my career is settling out. We can try if you want, or we can start looking into adopting."

Alfred shakes his head. "No. I'm sorry, I just..." There's a few sniffs, as if Alfred is holding back tears.

"Hormones and emotions kinda running high tonight?"

"Yeah."

Kyle nods, pulling Alfred as close as he can. "I love you, Alfred. It's okay to be worried about this."

A soft sigh of relief. "I'm so lucky I found you, Kyle. God knows it."

And then Alfred rolled over, pressing his lips to Kyle's. The worry was silenced, and they allowed their actions to speak rather than their words.

The sex was soft and gentle that night, and after they had pulled apart, Kyle drifted off to sleep. Alfred still lay awake, wondering what to do.

He lay a hand on his stomach and took a deep breath.

_If it's true, and I am pregnant, then I want to keep this baby._

_This is... it's our baby._

_And oh god, I never thought I would want them this much, but I do._

Alfred turned and looked at Kyle, fast asleep.

_I hope they have as big of a heart as you do, my love._

***

The next morning, Alfred waited for Kyle to leave, calling Sadik and telling him he'd be a little late. He watched the test for the whole damn fifteen minutes it took to change.

"Little pink plus sign from hell." He muttered, shaking it. While he wanted the baby if he was pregnant, Alfred still wasn't sure he wanted to be pregnant.

He wrapped the test up and took it out with some of the trash to hide it. He couldn't bear the idea of Kyle finding out right away that _hey, I only brought that up last night because I think I might be pregnant._

He got into his car after locking up the house and drove to work.

After a brief breakfast rush (apparently there had been a power outage in part of town), the crowd thinned out, and once again, Sofia was left sitting at the counter, typing away at her laptop. She was an accountant, and whenever she didn't have an appointment, you could find her here working on the computer.

Alfred usually didn't bother Ivan's older sister, but today she called him over.

"You and I need to talk, Alfred."

Alfred leaned over the counter, and Sofia shut her laptop. "Look, I know this is an awkward topic, but how are you feeling? Any more nausea lately?"

"No. Fit as a fiddle." Alfred replied, confused on where she was going with this.

"And have you told Kyle yet?"

"Told him what?" Alfred asked, although he had a suddenly sinking feeling he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"That he's going to be a father."

Alfred was silent, and Sofia sighed. "It's pretty obvious, Al. The constant nausea. Sadik says you aren't drinking coffee all that much anymore, like the smell is repelling you. The fact that you're drinking a lot more liquid. I was living with Natalia when she got pregnant with Odeta. I know what pregnancy looks like."

"Yeah, well, I missed all the warning signs." Alfred said with a sigh. "I have an ultrasound on Tuesday to confirm."

Sofia paused. "So you aren't sure yet?"

"No, but what else could it be? Took a home test this morning. It agreed with the doctor's verdict."

She paused. "There's only one other thing that could cause that chain of hormonal reactions, Alfred, and that's a few certain types of cancer. And I doubt that's the cause."

They were silent, and she sighed.

"I won't say anything to the possible future uncles, but you should tell Kyle soon. He's a good guy, and he'll be overjoyed."

Alfred tried to laugh, but it just came out as a sob. "Fuck, I want this kid, I just don't want to be pregnant!"

Sofia nodded and stroked his hair, a very older sister thing to do. "Hey, it's okay."

Alfred finally managed to pull himself together, and headed back into the kitchen. Sadik didn't say anything at first, but then he set a hand on Alfred's shoulder.

"When you get it confirmed, tell me the due date. I'll make sure we have a temporary hire in place for you."

Alfred nodded numbly. "Yeah."

There was a long pause, and then Sadik sighed. "Go home. I'll call in Tino to cover your shift."

Alfred glanced up. "Huh? I can work today..."

"Not with your head in the clouds, kid. Go home and get some rest."

Alfred finally did as he was told.

The drive home was short, but he found himself pulling away. Soon he found himself in front of Natalia's house.

His younger sister in law hated his guts most of the time, but he was hoping she might feel a little merciful today. He walked up to the porch and before he could even knock, she had opened the door.

"Well, I wasn't expecting to see your face today. Why are you here?" She said, sounding already annoyed.

"I was hoping I could talk to you about pregnancy?"

"Why?" She said, sounding more irritated by the moment. Alfred could hear Odeta moving around inside, the two year old anything but quiet.

"Because... because I think I might be."

While her face didn't change, Natalia's voice told him enough. The tone she used with her next sentence was softer and gentler.

"Alright. Come on in. I'm waiting on Toris to come pick Odeta up, but we can share some decaf coffee or something while we wait."

Alfred stepped into the small house. Natalia worked a fifty hour workweek in order to live independently on her own with her daughter. Odeta's father, who was Alfred's long time friend, Toris Laurintinas, also paid child support regularly despite attending college full time.

The tiny little girl came running up to see him, giggling.

Natalia scooped up her daughter. "Can you say 'hello, Alfred'?"

"Hi Alfwed." Odeta said, and then turned to her mother. "When is daddy going to be hewe?"

"Soon. Did you find the toy you wanted to take to stay with him overnight?"

Odeta shook her head, and Natalia set her down. "Go get it then."

Alfred smiled as she ran off. "Awfully cute kid."

"Looks more like her father every day." Natalia commented, heading into the kitchen. "He's on break from school right now, so he wanted her to come over. I said that was fine as long as he had registered for his next term of classes."

Alfred didn't say anything. He knew Natalia must have had her reasons for refusing to marry Toris, but having grown up with Toris as a close friend, he didn't know why she would refuse him. The guy was practically a perfect father, and Alfred knew he still loved Natalia. They'd been together for almost two years when Natalia got pregnant.

She poured them both a cup of coffee. "It's decaf, in case you were worried."

Alfred sipped at it a little, and then sighed as he set it down. "I never thought the smell or taste of coffee would be unappealing."

Natalia nodded. "Yeah, certain foods suddenly have no interest to you when you're pregnant. Ivan thought I'd clearly come down with an incurable disease when I wouldn't eat borscht."

Alfred laughed at that, and Natalia gave a small smile. "So may I ask why the sudden visit?"

"Anxiety, I suppose. I have to wait until Tuesday to get it confirmed. But two tests, both in the hospital and a home test, say I'm pregnant."

Natalia hummed quietly to herself, thinking. "Well, you and Kyle are in better shape than Toris and I were. He'd just started medical school... I had to drop out of my bachelor's degree program in order to keep her-"

There was a sudden noise. Natalia rose and walked back towards the entrance of the house, shouting down the hall. "ODETA EVANGELINE LAURINTINAS, THAT HAD BEST NOT BE MOMMY'S CABINET YOU'RE GETTING INTO!!!"

There was silence, and Natalia muttered something. "Be right back. Watch for Toris, will you?"

Moments after Natalia had went down the hall, a green car pulled up, and Alfred sighed, going to the door. He opened it and stepped outside. "Hello, Toris!"

Toris glanced up and smiled. He was three years younger than Alfred, at twenty six, and in his third year of medical school. "Hello, Alfred. Wasn't expecting on seeing you here!" He said, stepping up onto the porch. Alfred always had a brief moment of pride that he, despite being biologically female, was about an inch taller than Toris (thank god Kyle never rubbed it in that he was about two inches taller than Alfred, or he would have punched the man in the balls).

"Yeah, stopped by for a visit, had a few questions. Natalia thought Odeta was getting into something, so she went back to stop her."

"Probably the old medicine cabinet. Natalia doesn't keep actual medications there, but things like band aids and toothbrushes."

"So basically things a two year old still can't be trusted with."

"Exactly."

They stepped into the house just as Natalia came down the hall, half dragging Odeta limply behind her. Odeta was apparently doing the limp log defense, as Alfred remembered Arthur often saying to Francis when Shelly had been a toddler that never wanted to leave the house. A few random band aids had been stuck to her clothing. The bags next to the door were ready to go.

"Your daughter had a fascinations with band aids. I'm considering switching to gauze and vet wrap."

Odeta looked up from her place on the floor. Toris smiled down at her, and she suddenly leapt to her feet. "Daddy!"

He scooped her up. "I'll get you another box or two. Cheaper to buy them at the hospital that it is at the store." He says, and Natalia nods, picking up a stuffed bunny and tucking it into one of the bags.

"Alright, I packed enough clothes for seven days, but you can do laundry if you want to keep her for the rest of your break. I'll see you Wednesday evening for dinner, and of course Saturday at the park like always." She said, going down the list. Alfred felt like he was intruding in a strangely personal moment between the two parents. Toris nodded, grabbing one of the bags, and Natalia grabbed the other. They headed out to the car, and after much kissing of the girl, they nodded and Toris got into the car and drove away.

Natalia came back in after the pair had disappeared down the street. She sighed before speaking.

"Alfred... do you think that Toris still cares about me?"

Al was startled by the question. Why was Natalia suddenly asking him questions of such a nature?

"Well, you do have a kid together, and he still views you as a friend at least-"

"You're stalling."

Alfred suddenly turned, anger bubbling to the surface in an unexpected way. "God, your nickname was ice queen for a reason! Why do you want to know? So you can break his heart again?"

Natalia seemed genuinely surprised by his reaction. "I never meant to break his heart-"

"Well, the why'd you dump him?! He's a perfect fucking father! Odeta loves him! And you're just... indifferent and-"

"I DID IT BECAUSE I LOVED HIM!"

Alfred stopped. "What?"

"Damn it, Alfred, all he ever talked about was becoming a doctor. He was always patching all of us up from fights! When I told him I was pregnant with Odeta, he tried to drop out of med school! I couldn't let him give up his passion for medicine just because I was an idiot and forgot to put on my damn diaphragm! I couldn't watch him throw everything he'd worked for away!"

Alfred didn't know what to say, and she turned.

"If Kyle had a situation like that, what would you do? If you are pregnant?"

Alfred suddenly felt like the world's biggest asshole, and sank into a chair, sobbing out apologies as he shook. Natalia was quick to set a hand on his back and start soothing him, almost the same way her sister had a few hours earlier.

Finally, as the tears subsided, she looked at him. "The hormone changes suck, don't they?"

Alfred nodded weakly. "Yeah. They really do."

They sat and talked for a few more hours, but finally Natalia looked at him.

"It's going to be hard, and sometimes you're going to wonder if it's worth it, but if Kyle is anything like Toris, he's going to be so proud of you and the kid. And he's probably going to smile like you just handed him the most beautiful present you could, because you will have. I know that you're going to have to struggle with being incredibly uncomfortable inside your own body, but if you want this child, Alfred... every awkward moment, every struggle... it will be worth it when you hold them in your arms."

She finally kicked him out of her house in perhaps the most polite way she ever had. Alfred drove home, and then pulled out his phone and texted Toris

**_Hey, you didn't hear this from me, but she still loves you._ **

Alfred had went inside and started dinner when he got a text back.

**_Yeah. I know. Odeta told me. The kid is pretty damn smart. Just like her momma._ **

_And just like her father._ Alfred thought, smiling as he started to cook the pasta.

He would check every morning until the ultrasound with the home tests, but he set a hand on his stomach as he added extra pasta.

"Well, little one, I can't wait to know if you're actually there. And if you are, I know you're going to be the best Christmas gift ever."

***

The morning of the ultrasound, Alfred had settled on how to break the news to Kyle if he was pregnant (although with four home tests as well as a test at the hospital saying yes, he doubted there was any doubt at this point). He would take the ultrasound photos and get some copies and make a note, replacing the candy in the Advent calendar with the note. Kyle would go to open the calendar and instead of candy, he would have an image of their unborn child.

Kyle seemed surprised when Alfred said something about a doctor's appointment. "Why do you have another doctor's appointment?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

Alfred felt a little bad lying. "Yeah, they say something weird came up on one of the tests. They just want to check things out, and this was the first time they had available. Afterwards I'll stop at the store. They had turkeys on sale starting today, and the earlier I'm in there, the better."

Kyle paused, and then went back to his breakfast. Alfred set down his plate and starting munching on a carrot he had added to his plate, along with his eggs.

"Oh! Avery said they were going to bring rolls. I was pretty sure no one was bringing those." Kyle added to the conversation.

Alfred nodded. "Good! Your cousin makes the best rolls anyhow, after my papa. Actually, scratch that. They are equally delicious."

Kyle nodded and then paused. "May I ask why you're having a carrot with breakfast?"

Alfred glanced up and shrugged. "I felt like it. Besides, don't act so innocent. I've seen you eat a hot dog for breakfast when you're in a rush."

"Touché." Kyle said, returning to his own breakfast.

***

The ultrasound confirmed the very simple fact that Alfred was pregnant. He was about eight weeks along, according to the specialist.

"Ma'am, I was on the shot method of birth control, and got my shot on time. Is there an explanation of how this happened?"

She checked his chart. "Your dose was on the lower end. It's likely your body grew accustomed to the dose and you didn't realize you needed a higher dose."

Alfred nodded. "Must have also had a condom break or something then."

The woman nodded. "It's pretty rare for both methods to fail, but it's known to happen."

Alfred nodded, and accepted a few family planning packets she handed him, reading through them. He also asked for a few recommendations on some websites to look at, and then headed out, glancing at the ultrasound photos.

He smiled as he headed out to a local copy and print shop.

He entered the shop and headed to the counter. He could hear someone moving around in the back room, and dinged the bell on the counter. But he almost shrieked when Michelle came to the counter.

She smiled. "Hi Alfred! What are you doing here? Buying me my Christmas presents? I promise to be surprised!"

Normally, Alfred would have laughed, but he suddenly felt almost all of his confidence slipping away. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"This was the print shop where I got my internship, brother! The owner is an artist, so sometimes she and I paint together after the shop closes. Now, what can I do for you?"

"I... wanted to make a copy of something." Alfred said, feeling the sentence trying to die in his throat. Out of all the print shops he could have gone to, he managed to choose the one Michelle worked at. If it had been anyone else, he could have said he was someone's husband, but his baby sister would realize the moment she saw those photos.

She smiled, holding out her hand. "Alright!"

Alfred took a deep breath. "Michelle, it's kinda personal. Can you keep it a secret?"

She laughed. "Of course I can, Al! Mattie and I kept things secret for you before you came out!"

"Okay." Alfred said, and taking another deep breath, set down the ultrasound photos.

Michelle went to pick them up and then froze. Alfred knew she was seeing the circle that had been circled around the head, and she clearly knew what they were.

She glanced back up at him, and he looked away, nervous. But she picked them up and took them back to the copy machine, running a quick copy. Alfred took a few more deep breaths to calm himself before she came back.

She returned, setting down the copy and ringing it up, and then asking. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I haven't told Kyle yet. Those ultrasounds were just taken today. That's why I had the copies made, so I could make him a little note. We have the old Advent calendars, and I didn't want to damage the actual photos trying to fold them and fit them inside."

"So you're going to tell him tonight?" Michelle asked.

Alfred paused, plunging into dangerous waters. "I was actually going to do it Christmas Eve-"

Michelle nearly shouted the next words. "At the party?!"

"No! Afterwards. I wanted it to be a Christmas surprise, especially since we weren't exactly planning on this..."

Michelle nodded. "Have you told anyone yet?"

"No... don't want to tell anyone besides Kyle in case... in case I lose the baby."

She nodded, coming around the counter and hugging him. "Alright. Then I won't tell anyone then."

Alfred hugged her back, smiling. "Thanks, Shelly."

"You're welcome."

After that, he went to the store and bought a turkey. As soon as he got home, he shoved it into the freezer. He would make room for it in the fridge later, after he had put the note in the Advent calendar.

He pulled out a pen and wrote a note at the bottom of the page. Folding it up tight, he went over to Kyle's calendar, opening the _24_ compartment and replacing the candy with the note.

About two hours later, after getting the turkey in the fridge to begin defrosting over the next week, Kyle came in the door, laughing and grinning. Alfred smiled.

Soon enough, they were sitting over their dinner and laughing.

***

The day of Christmas Eve began early, when Alfred kicked Kyle out of bed to manage the turkey while he did a final cleanup of the house.

At about ten, Zoe and Owen showed up along with Michelle. Zoe was soon chatting with her older brother in the kitchen while Owen helped Alfred and Michelle hang up a few final decorations.

Scarlet and Oscar arrived with Avery around noon, Avery and Oscar both sporting the latest in women's fashion. Avery grinned when Oscar almost flounced in his skirt.

Alfred walked over, and Oscar smiled at him, a rare thing for the usually aloof Baines sibling. "Still not sure what I am, but I think I'm headed the right way now!"

Alfred nodded. "Well, you look good in a skirt."

"Thanks!"

Scarlet smiled as Oscar headed off into the kitchen to go bother Kyle, and Alfred smiled at her. She shrugged. "If it makes him happy."

"Yeah."

With the entire Baines clan, chaos was soon erupting as the table was being set once food was finished. Eventually, Arthur and Francis showed up. After greeting their two children present, Francis and Scarlet began chatting, and Arthur spotted Avery and Oscar both in their skirts.

He paused and then shrugged. "Well, it's better than some of the things your papa has worn over the years."

Avery snorted, and Oscar shook his head. "I probably pull it off better."

Francis looked up, mildly insulted. "Excusez-moi?"

Alfred busted out laughing while Francis mockingly challenged Oscar to a fashion model contest, with Scarlet, Owen, and Arthur as judges.

And soon enough, Ivan and Matthew entered the house. Ivan held a plate of ham, and Matthew grinned, embracing his twin.

"Hey Alfred! How are you doing?"

Alfred grinned. "I'm good. And you?"

"Awesome! Oh, Ivan and I have decided we're going to visit Russia this summer."

"Isn't that a little dangerous?" Arthur said, entering the conversation.

As they got further into the afternoon, Kyle finally called out. "Alright, the turkey's done. Get your food on the table, and Zoe, you make sure we set the table properly!"

A nod from Zoe, and Alfred slid into the kitchen, setting his head on Kyle's shoulder as he reached over towards the knife block, picking out which knives he wanted to carve the turkey with. "Hey, can you wait to open the last compartment on your Advent calendar until after everyone leaves tonight?"

Kyle nodded, although Alfred could tell he wasn't paying too much attention. "Sure."

Alfred smiled, shaking his head. "Love you." He said, giving him a quick kiss and then taking a step back to allow Kyle to do his work with the knives.

They all sat down for dinner, enjoying sparkling cider and turkey and ham and all the other goodies that had been brought. The conversation was loud and lively, as expected with these two families combining. And somehow, with great efforts from Kyle and Matthew, Alfred and Ivan managed not to get into an argument.

After dinner, they all went to sit in the living room to converse, waiting to have any desert until later, after they had found room in their stomachs again. Alfred cleared off the table and heard the soundtrack to The Nutcracker being put in the CD player, followed by loud complaints from Oscar. He giggled as he set the deserts out for when everybody was ready. Ivan and Matthew were dancing in what little space was left, as they had met during a performance of The Nutcracker. Alfred glanced at the clock.

It was a little after six. He glanced in at the living room, where his family had happily gathered, and then headed off to the bathroom.

Kyle watched Alfred head off towards the bathroom, and shrugged. They sat there talking when Scarlet suddenly came around the corner, knocking the Advent calendar he had been using off the wall. The sound startled them all.

Kyle stood, coming over. "Go sit down, mom. I'll make sure it's okay."

"Are you sure? I can-"

"No, don't worry. Probably just a piece of candy on the floor."

Kyle heard his mother sit down, and checked over the calendar. None of the doors or hangings had broken. He propped it up next to the stonework of the fireplace, and then looked for the piece of candy.

He instead saw a piece of paper. He picked it up, confused. Had Alfred left this for him? That was odd. He started to unfold it, just to see what it was.

He opened the note completely and froze.

"Hey Kyle, do you have any other Christmas albums?" He heard his father ask, but he couldn't respond. There was a pause, and then his father spoke again. "Kyle?"

His back facing his family, he tried to process what he had just read, and then he heard footsteps coming back down the hall.

He whirled to see Alfred, staring at him in confusion. Alfred raised an eyebrow, and then saw the paper in his hands. His eyes darted to where the Advent calendar should be, and then to where it was on the floor.

Kyle suddenly ran forward, half hugging him and picking him up. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!" He cried out, spinning Alfred, who suddenly grinned in relief as he saw Kyle's absolutely beaming face.

"It was going to be an early Christmas gift." Alfred said with a laugh.

Everyone was staring at them now. "Mon fils? Are you alright?" Francis asked.

Kyle set Alfred down. "Can I tell them?"

"Oh sure." Alfred said, unable to stop grinning.

Kyle took the piece of paper and turned it so they could all see. There was a soft intake of breath throughout the entire room.

"Al's pregnant."

Alfred suddenly felt overwhelmed everyone stood up, giving him swift congratulations. Scarlet and Owen relentlessly teased Kyle, along with his siblings, and Matthew grinned as he ruffled Alfred's hair. "They're gonna be a cute kid, bro."

Kyle suddenly stopped. "Just a minute, let me grab something!"

They all stepped back as Kyle dashed to the tree, pulling out a present, and then walked back over to Alfred, handing him the rectangular package. "Open it."

Alfred nodded, sitting down and tearing the gift open. There was an empty photo frame, and some paperwork.

He recognized it as the paperwork for a domestic partnership.

"Figured it had been long enough. It's time to be formally partners." Kyle said with a laugh.

Alfred felt tears prick his eyes, and half glared, despite the silly grin on his face. "Really? It took you six years to decide I was the one?"

Avery snorted. "He is an idiot."

Kyle stuck his tongue out at his cousin, and there was a lot of laughter. As they all sat back down, Alfred was bombarded with questions. Kyle knew he hadn't prepared for this, but he couldn't believe how lucky he was as he sat with arms wrapped around the love of his life. He kept thinking back to the note he had just read.

_Hey Kyle._

_Apparently we're in that very small percentage where two forms of birth control didn't manage to stop conception. The shot must not have had a high enough dosage for me anymore, and we must have had a condom break without realizing it._

_Ky, we're gonna be dads._

_And here's the first look at our Christmas miracle._

_Love, Alfred._

***

"Hello, kiddo!" Kyle said as he lifted his son up, gazing at him on this hot July afternoon. "You chose the hottest day of the year so far to be born, but hey, at least you made you dad go to the hospital with the good AC."

Alfred stuck his tongue out. "Yeah, and while dad was busy giving birth to you, your father was off making bets with your uncle Matt and your Bibi Avery." Alfred said, using the gender neutral term Avery had asked them to use.

"Slanderous lies, Jett. Your dad is telling you slanderous lies. He's just upset you didn't come before his birthday. He felt pretty awkward with you kicking him at every opportunity while he just wanted to eat some of your grand-père's food."

Alfred shook his head with a laugh as Jett suddenly cried, prompting swift soothing from his father. Only a few hours old, Jett Jacob Baines was already an angry baby. And Alfred couldn't blame him.

"I wouldn't have wanted to have been born today either, kid. It's too hot to be in a blanket." Alfred said as Kyle grinned at their little miracle, slowly quieting down.

There was a soft snuffle, and Alfred stretched out his arms. Kyle set the blue bundle in them, and Alfred smiled, leaning into Kyle's shoulder. "You should be glad I like you, you idiot Aussie. Praise me."

Kyle snickered before beginning. "Oh great giver of life, mighty deliverer of a small human, we beseech thee to show great mercy on your humble servant-"

"Cut the dramatics!" Alfred said with a laugh.

Jett suddenly made a soft whining sound, and Alfred sighed. "You're probably hungry, aren't you? Good thing for me, 'cause these things on my chest hurt."

Kyle, half leaning on the hospital bed, set his chin on Alfred's shoulder as Alfred maneuvered himself into a comfortable breastfeeding position, and Jett managed to latch on within moments.

"Ow." Alfred said after a few seconds. "This hurts." He glanced down at Jett. "At least I know you're latched on very, very well."

Kyle snorted, leaning over Alfred's shoulder. They had gotten their official domestic partnership on December 31st. Wrapping an arm around Alfred, he spoke. "So now that we have our first tiny miracle and our legal partnership, are we interested in a second kid?"

"An adopted one. I'm not doing this again. He's a beautiful kid, but I ain't pushing another one out."

Kyle chuckled. "Alright. I'll check in about adoption in a few years."

"Yeah, try it when we send this one off to kindergarten, okay?"

They leaned against each other until Jett decided he was done feeding and popped off. Alfred readjusted so everything was back in the maternity bra, and slowly laid down, watching Jett fall asleep on his chest. He glanced up at Kyle. "You're on diaper duty until he's hungry again. I deserve a nap."

"Indeed you do." Kyle said, kissing Alfred on the cheek. Soon enough, he watched the love of his life sleep, their tiny miracle asleep on his chest.

And three weeks later, when both of them were exhausted and sleep deprived beyond measure, Kyle held Alfred close with a smile.

"If we went back in time and could do it all over again, I would."

Alfred nodded. "Yeah. Same here."

And somehow, the small family managed to find thirty minutes of blissful sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas!


End file.
